Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
Unsalted butter, for baking pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a few tablespoons more for pan
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup of warm water
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 tbsps vegetable oil
1 tsp of vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Filling:
1 cup crisped-rice cereal
6 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
For your caramel sauce:
1 cup of sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tbsps unsalted butter
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
To make the frosting:
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps . unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps . boiling water
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Pinch of salt
1 lb . semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled off
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the cake: Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep). Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water,buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat using a mixer on med-high speed until well combined, about 3 min.
Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center is clean, 55 to 60 mins. Let cool completely in pan.
Meanwhile, make the crunchy chocolate milk filling: Fold crisped rice cereal into melted milk chocolate until completely coated. Spread the mixture about 1/4 inch thick onto a slightly greased cookie sheet. Freeze until hard, about 45 minutes. Chop into small pieces. Refrigerate until later.
To prepare the caramel sauce: Bring white sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan over med-high heat. Whisk constantly to avoid the sauce from burning until it reaches a soft boil and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Promptly remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool.
To prepare the icing: Put cocoa powder in a small bowl, and stir in hot water to make a thick paste. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt until pale and fluffy. Slowly beat in melted semisweet chocolate and cocoa paste. If frosting doesn't seem firm enough, refrigerate it for 10-12 minutes, whisking every few minutes. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use the frosting.
To construct the cake: Turn the baking pan upside down and lightly pat the pan until the cake falls out, then trim the top of the cake. Slice into 3 even layers. Put bottom layer on a cake stand or large plate, and spread 1/2 cup milk chocolate crisp on top. Gently drizzle 3/4 cup caramel sauce on top, and cover with another 1/2 cup milk chocolate crisp filling. Top with middle cake layer, and repeat the filling and caramel layers process, finishing with top cake layer.
Then, frost the cake with a "crumb coat", which is a thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Set the cake in the refridgerator for 30 minutes to chill and then you may frost the chocolate cake with remainder of the frosting. The cake can be refridgerated or served at room temperature.
For the chocolate cake:
Unsalted butter, for baking pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a few tablespoons more for pan
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup of warm water
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 tbsps vegetable oil
1 tsp of vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Filling:
1 cup crisped-rice cereal
6 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
For your caramel sauce:
1 cup of sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tbsps unsalted butter
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
To make the frosting:
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps . unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsps . boiling water
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Pinch of salt
1 lb . semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled off
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the cake: Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep). Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water,buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat using a mixer on med-high speed until well combined, about 3 min.
Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center is clean, 55 to 60 mins. Let cool completely in pan.
Meanwhile, make the crunchy chocolate milk filling: Fold crisped rice cereal into melted milk chocolate until completely coated. Spread the mixture about 1/4 inch thick onto a slightly greased cookie sheet. Freeze until hard, about 45 minutes. Chop into small pieces. Refrigerate until later.
To prepare the caramel sauce: Bring white sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan over med-high heat. Whisk constantly to avoid the sauce from burning until it reaches a soft boil and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Promptly remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool.
To prepare the icing: Put cocoa powder in a small bowl, and stir in hot water to make a thick paste. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt until pale and fluffy. Slowly beat in melted semisweet chocolate and cocoa paste. If frosting doesn't seem firm enough, refrigerate it for 10-12 minutes, whisking every few minutes. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use the frosting.
To construct the cake: Turn the baking pan upside down and lightly pat the pan until the cake falls out, then trim the top of the cake. Slice into 3 even layers. Put bottom layer on a cake stand or large plate, and spread 1/2 cup milk chocolate crisp on top. Gently drizzle 3/4 cup caramel sauce on top, and cover with another 1/2 cup milk chocolate crisp filling. Top with middle cake layer, and repeat the filling and caramel layers process, finishing with top cake layer.
Then, frost the cake with a "crumb coat", which is a thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Set the cake in the refridgerator for 30 minutes to chill and then you may frost the chocolate cake with remainder of the frosting. The cake can be refridgerated or served at room temperature.
About the Author:
Want more Southern cooking then try this collard greens recipe and also try making this black eyed peas recipe for your Labor Day cookout.